By: Jared Evan

The New York City Council’s far-left majority has once again prioritized illegal migrants over hardworking taxpayers, passing legislation that makes it even easier for non-citizens to obtain city-issued residency ID cards and access a slew of free benefits—at the expense of those who actually fund the system.

While critics have called the move a direct attack on former President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, the reality is far worse: This bill isn’t just about politics—it’s about shifting the financial burden onto everyday New Yorkers, who are already struggling under high taxes, rising costs, and crime rates fueled in part by unchecked migration.

The bill, spearheaded by Brooklyn Democratic socialist Shahana Hanif, mandates that the city’s Department of Social Services make IDNYC photo-ID cards even more accessible to illegal migrants. The measure allows for walk-in appointments at designated centers across all five boroughs and introduces an appeal process for the rare cases where applicants are actually denied—ensuring that virtually no one is turned away.

The Council overwhelmingly approved the measure on Wednesday with a 39-7 vote, cementing its commitment to funneling public resources toward those who have entered the country illegally rather than assisting legal residents and citizens who are struggling with the city’s affordability crisis.

Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) didn’t mince words, blasting the measure as both dangerous and a slap in the face to New Yorkers who play by the rules.

“At a time of rising migrant crime and national security threats, it’s reckless—and it just seems like we’re legislating against Trump rather than doing what’s right for New Yorkers,” Holden said.

Hanif, however, framed the bill as a matter of social justice, insisting that the “Access to IDNYC Act guarantees dignity for every New Yorker, especially as federal policies target our transgender, non-binary, and immigrant communities.”

The IDNYC program, introduced in 2015 under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, was originally pitched as a way to help undocumented individuals access city services. But over the years, it has morphed into what some critics describe as a taxpayer-funded giveaway for illegal migrants.

Applicants can present more than 120 different forms of identification—including expired foreign passports and driver’s licenses—to obtain an IDNYC card, which then allows them to enroll in city programs, open bank accounts, sign leases, and even access free healthcare through the city’s public hospitals.

Not surprisingly, the demand for these IDs is skyrocketing. In the last fiscal year alone, the city issued 183,682 IDNYC cards—approving an astonishing 91.4% of all applications, according to the annual Mayor’s Management Report. From July through October of the current fiscal year, another 64,265 cards were issued, marking a 14% increase from the previous year. Since the program’s inception, more than 2.3 million cards have been distributed, the vast majority going to illegal migrants.

Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola (R-Queens) denounced the program as nothing more than “government-sanctioned fraud” that allows illegal migrants to obtain taxpayer-funded benefits with little oversight.

“We should scrap this program and incentivize them to go through the proper, lawful process of obtaining citizenship,” Ariola stated. “Instead, the Council continues to prioritize handouts over accountability.”

While the bill’s supporters claim that it promotes inclusivity and accessibility, the reality is that it places an ever-growing burden on lawful residents, many of whom are already feeling the weight of the city’s declining affordability and quality of life.